Manchester Grammar School and Hugh Oldham stone plaque in Manchester

The Manchester Grammar School. This plaque marks the original site of The Manchester Grammar School on which for more than four centuries successive generations of boys were educated. The school was founded in 1515 by Hugh Oldham, Bishop of Exeter, whose Arms appear above, and remained here without interruption until 1931, when the school was transferred to its present site at Rusholme.

The Manchester Grammar School (MGS) is the largest independent day school for boys in the United Kingdom (ages 7–18) and is located in Manchester, England. Founded in the 16th century as a free grammar school, it was formerly adjacent to Manchester Parish Church (later Manchester Cathedral) until 1931 when it moved to its present 28-acre site at Fallowfield. In accordance with its founder's wishes, MGS has remained a predominantly academic school and belongs to the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference.In the post-war period, MGS was a direct-grant grammar school (by which one quarter of the places were directly funded by central government with the rest attracting fees, some paid by the Local Education Authority, some by private pupils and a few funded by so-called Foundation Scholarships awarded on the basis of performance in the school entrance examinations). It chose to become an independent school in 1976 after the Labour government abolished the Direct Grant System. Fees for 2012–2013 are £10,545 per annum.

Hugh Oldham (c.1452 – 25 June 1519) was a Bishop of Exeter and a notable patron of education. Born in Lancashire to a family of minor gentry, he probably attended both Oxford and Cambridge universities, following which he was a clerk at Durham, then a rector in Cornwall before being employed by Lady Margaret Beaufort (mother of King Henry VII), rising to be the chancellor of her household by 1503. During this time he was preferred with many religious posts all over the country, being made archdeacon of Exeter in 1502 and finally bishop of that city in 1505, a decision that most likely was influenced by Lady Margaret.He was a conscientious bishop who ensured that only educated people were appointed to ecclesiastical posts. His patronage of educational establishments included the foundation of Manchester Grammar School and Corpus Christi College, Oxford for which he donated £4,000. After his death he was buried in Exeter Cathedral in a chantry chapel that he had caused to be built for that purpose. The chapel is decorated with numerous carvings of owls, which were his personal device.